Residents in HCM City are taking part in a programme that is intended to remove illegal weapons from the public.

Dozens of people visited the police station at Binh Thanh District queuing to hand over weapons and explosives that they were keeping on the morning of July 15.

A police officer in Binh Thanh District receives weapons from local residents
 

A 30 year-old man said he had handed over a 70-cm knife, which he had exchanged for litres of cooking oil and a kilo of sugar. His wife was very happy with his decision.

Tran Van Duc in Binh Thanh District also brought a short gun and a grenade picked up by his nephew recently to the police station. He then was given two bottles of cooking oil and two kilos of sugar.

A man at the police station of Biinh Thanh District to hand over his weapons

Former soldiers or police who have kept their weapons as their souvenirs, gifts or war trophies also handed over these to the police.

On the morning of July 15 alone, the police of Binh Thanh District collected 95 cartridges, one grenade and 16 swords and knives.

The weapons and explosives exchanged for cooking oil and sugar

Police in HCM City frequently hold the weapon-gift exchange programme, as part of efforts to prevent armed crimes which have become a big problem in the city over recent years.

Since 2015, through this programme, the municipal police have gathered hundreds of guns of different kinds, truncheons, tear gas canisters, ammunition and many other weapons.

All local districts have set up steering boards to hold awareness campaigns encouraging residents to pledge not to produce, trade, carry or use weapons.